1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to home health care aids and, more particularly, to a bath tub bathing aid comprising a bath chair having an integral mechanism that raises and lowers the chair and a user into a bathtub, thereby aiding in the bathing of physically disabled or handicapped individuals.
2. Description of the Related Art
Persons that have a physical disability, including the elderly and disabled, recognize the difficulties that they encounter while performing tasks that many take for granted. Several activities, such as climbing stairs or bending over from the waist to attend to a shoe, are difficult for the elderly and disabled, and often requires extreme physical exertion to accomplish such tasks. In some instances, these activities are altogether impossible to accomplish without mechanical or personal assistance. One acknowledged activity that is extremely difficult for the elderly and the disabled is entering and exiting a conventional bathtub. For the elderly and disabled, entering and exiting a bathtub is a difficult and dangerous activity, and may result in serious physical injury and or death because the increased risk of slipping on a wet surface, the lack of grasping handles about the tub, the very hard and/or blunt surfaces of the tub and surrounding objects, among other reasons. These difficulties are compounded with those individuals who must be placed in and lifted out of a bath or shower. As a result, many people are forced to either bathe less frequently or they must obtain the assistance of two or more people to help them, which is often embarrassing and/or humiliating for the bathing party.
A search of the prior art did not disclose any patents that read directly on the claims of the instant invention; however, the following references were considered related:                U.S. Pat. No. 2,045,110, issued in the name of Spiess, discloses a bathtub appliance that raises and lowers a user into and out of a tub;        U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,723, issued in the name of Carpenter, discloses a bath tub seat raised and lowered by a power lift mechanism;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,840, issued in the name of Asakawa et al., discloses a medical bed apparatus having a body frame, a hoisting assembly and a hammock supported from the hoisting assembly by hanging strings, the strings are used for raising and lowering the hammock via a number of drums above the hammock and assembly;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,112, issued in the name of Schaffer, discloses a bathtub chair lift having a chair coupled to a movable member, the movable member raised and lowered via a motor;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,482, issued in the name of Asakawa, discloses a device for raising and lowering a hammock or other body support structure onto a bed or other flat surface;        U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,131, issued in the name of Schaffer, discloses a fluid operated chair lift;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,003,168, issued in the name of Steadman, discloses an apparatus for moving a person into and out of a bath tub having a seat mounted to a pivot linkage for raising and lowering the seat;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,230, issued in the name of Lane, discloses a device for lifting a person into and out of a bathtub;        U.S. Pat. No. 6,351,860, issued in the name of Schaffer, discloses a chair lift for raising and lowering a seat into and out of a bathtub; and        U.S. Pat. No. Des. 360,024, issued in the name of Smith, discloses an ornamental design for a combination bathtub and sear for handicapped and elderly persons.        
Consequently, a need exists for means by which those with physical disabilities can utilize a bathtub easily and in a safe manner while placing less strain on their care givers.